Boy Interrupted
2009 · Movie · 92 min · ★ 7.4 · 84% critics
This documentary follows a family as they look back on their teenage son’s life and the long, difficult path of living with severe mental illness. Through home videos and interviews with relatives, friends, and professionals, it explores grief, unanswered questions, and the pressure of trying to help someone in crisis while challenging stigma around mental health and suicide.
Where to watch
Streaming on HBO Max — or rent from $3.79.
2 hours to watch.
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Details
- Years
- 2009
- Release date
- 2009-09-05
- Language
- English
- Runtime
- 92 min
- Critic score
- 84/100
- TMDB rating
- 7.4/10 (50 votes)
About
If you’re drawn to intimate, real-life documentaries about families facing mental health crises and grief, this may stay with you; Not for you if you want light viewing or dislike intensely sad, suicide-focused stories like Mission Blue.
Pros: deeply personal story; informative about mental illness; powerful emotional impact | Cons: very hard to watch; questions about treatment; focus feels self-centered
Themes
- suicide
- grief
Cast & crew
- EP
Evan Scott Perry
as Himself
Dana Heinz Perry
as Self - Evan's Mother
- HP
Hart Perry
as Self - Evan's Father
- NK
Nicholas Kopple-Perry
as Self - Evan's Half-Brother
- KR
Karen Riposo
as Self - Teacher
- LS
Ladd Spiegel
as Self - Doctor
- SH
Suzanne Hanna
as Self - Psychologist
- DM
Dan Murray
as Self - Wellspring Psychologist
- AS
Aidan Shiminov
as Self - Friend
- WA
Will Axelrod
as Self - Friend
Directed by Dana Heinz Perry